‘People have spoken again and again’, says Sinn Fein President as party set for historic local election result

As the counting continues across all 11 venues in the Province, all the early indications are that the results will lead to a historic result for Sinn Fein.

Speaking at Belfast City Hall alongside Vice-President Michelle O'Neill, Ms McDonald said that the election results showed “a very strong showing for Sinn Fein right across the north” and that it is ‘a vote for positivity’.

"We are very pleased with that," she said.

"We ran a very, very positive campaign and we are very pleased that the response to that has just been so positive by way of return.

"In the course of the election, a lot of things were discussed in communities and on door steps up and down the north.

"All the local issues, but in truth, the big issue was that of a return of the Executive, the need to have government, the need for leadership, the need to work together to make politics work for everybody and the need for Michelle O'Neill to come into post as First Minister for all.

"For us, that's really the significance of this result, it is undoubtedly a vote for progress, for change, for positivity and above all else for working together."

McDonald said that without political will, Northern Ireland could remain in political deadlock for some considerable time.

She said: “The only direction of travel for all of us is forward moving.

“People who hanker for the past, who hanker for yesterday, are looking for something that can’t be given to them.”

She continued: “I think and I hope at some point early or later, and preferably early, the DUP and Jeffrey Donaldson will have to catch up to that point.

“If there is a lack of political will we could be caught in deadlock for quite some considerable time.

“But the question arises, who does that serve? It doesn’t serve anyone.

“We have now had Assembly elections, council elections, democratic mandates have been given, people have spoken again and again.”